


Last Words

by Nebbles



Category: Dangan Ronpa 3: The End of 希望ヶ峰学園 | The End of Kibougamine Gakuen | End of Hope's Peak High School
Genre: M/M, juzo deserved better
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-02
Updated: 2016-10-02
Packaged: 2018-08-19 02:12:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,204
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8185054
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nebbles/pseuds/Nebbles
Summary: Munakata wishes he made it to Sakakura on time.





	

He didn’t know how to feel. Munakata wished he had ran faster. He wished had gotten there in time. He wished Sakakura’s dead body wasn’t sitting in front of him, his grip tight on the switch that had set them free. What was left of his other arm hung loosely at his side, and Munakata wished he hadn’t noticed it.

Sakakura had saved their lives, at the risk of his own. The complacent look on his face twisted Munakata’s stomach, filling him with unease.

Why did he look so happy? Tears stung the corner of his eye as the realization continued to weigh on him – Juzo Sakakura was dead, and he was partially to blame.

The memory of driving his blade through Sakakura’s stomach haunted him. Without any second thought, or listening to what he had to say, he had hurt the only person left alive that mattered to him.

He wasn’t despair, and he never was. Munakata had let his own despair take over, and had nearly succumbed to it.

Munakata sighed, wiping the tears from his eye, trying to compose himself. He had to bury Sakakura. It was least he deserved. He gently removed his hand from the switch, laying Sakakura’s body on the bloodstained floor.

Upon his body resting on the floor, Munakata noticed folded piece of paper slip out of the pocket of Sakakura’s jacket.

Raising an eyebrow in confusion, Munakata leaned over to pick it up. He unfolded the note, and on scanning the first lines, he felt his stomach drop.

‘Kyosuke,

I wish I had a better way to start this off, but even now, finding the right words are hard. So I’m just going to say it. I’m in love with you.’

Munakata felt his heart get caught in his throat, unable to make any noise. He looked up from the note, looking at Sakakura, the soft smile on his face suddenly making all too much sense.

‘I have been for a very, very long time. I just never knew how to tell you, or when. I know this isn’t the right time or place, but I’ve wanted to tell you for so long.’

Some portions of the letter were crossed out, scribbled over – all the wrong wordings and phrases Munakata so desperately wanted to read. His thumb gently brushed over the flecks of blood that was on the paper. Another pang of guilt ran through his body. God – was that his fault? Did the note get stained when he wrongfully stabbed him?

‘I still have so many things I want to tell you. If I manage to tell you this, I imagine the other things won’t be as hard.’

The realization that Sakakura might have been ready to tell him before Munakata hurt him came all too sudden.

Munakata wish he knew when Sakakura had written this. How long was it in his pocket? How long had Sakakura been battling the urge to tell him this? Did he write it before the killing game started? Why hadn’t Munakata realized anything? How was he so blind?

He imagined Sakakura at the table, frustrated, trying to write the perfect letter. Crumpled pieces of paper littered the floor, all versions that weren’t just good enough. The sound of pen scribbling on paper would have filled the silent room, hoping this time, it’d be right. That this time, it would have been perfect.

‘I don’t regret falling for you in the slightest. I struggled for so long accepting how I felt, and looking back, I’m happy the man I fell in love with was you.’

Munakata hastily rubbed at the tears reforming in his eye. He couldn’t cry now. He had to finish reading. Even without tears blurring his vision, it was hard to make out some of the letter due to the blood. No matter how hard he tried, Munakata couldn’t understand any of it.

His vision trailed further down to where the text was once more legible. A thin line ran through the words, but Munakata could read it clear as day.

‘This sounds silly, coming from me, but you are the light of my life, Kyosuke.’

He felt as though a knife had pierced his heart.

‘There are so many things I would do for you. I want to help you realize your dream, by your side, if you would have me. I know I’ve been there for you so far, but…’

More blood.

‘If you somehow read this letter without me knowing, well, I’ll deal with that. At the same time, I’m glad you know. After all these years I’ve loved you… you deserve to know.’

Munakata didn’t feel worthy of his love or adoration. He didn’t deserve Sakakura’s loving words. After all the pain he had caused Sakakura, reading these words felt like torture. The guilt was unbearable, but he couldn’t stop reading. To him, these were Sakakura’s last words. This letter – this love letter, holding years of adoration and affection – was all he would have left of him.

He inhaled deeply in an attempt to compose himself. If he couldn’t finish this letter, it would be just another thing he would’ve done to hurt Sakakura.

‘I hope we can talk about this once you finished reading. I’m happy you’ve read it. I can’t say I know how you’ll react, but whatever it is, I’ll be ready for it.

I really love you, Kyosuke.

I just want you know I’ll always do anything to protect you.’

With that, the letter was finished. Minus the illegible scrawl on the margins, there was nothing else Sakakura could say to him. He read over the letter several times, trying to process his emotions.

Why hadn’t he realized sooner? Sakakura’s feelings? His feelings?

He gripped the letter tightly in his hands, not bothering to hold back tears anymore.

Sobs shook his body as he kneeled over Juzo’s corpse, unable to contain himself any longer.

This was his fault. Munakata couldn’t escape that thought. He had originally hurt Sakakura. If he hadn’t stabbed him earlier, would his wounds be as severe? Would Sakakura have been able to survive?

Why did he think Sakakura was despair? After so many years of trust, why did Munakata assume it would break so easily?

What kind of friend – no, what kind of person would think that? Sakakura’s trust was unbreakable. This letter proved as much. He would have never betrayed Munakata.

Yet, Munakata betrayed him. He didn’t feel worthy of all these kind words Sakakura wrote. How was he worthy of such love?

This is all your fault, his mind hissed. 

Would Munakata have been able to tell Sakakura, yes, I read your letter – and yes, he wanted to talk about it, the pain in his heart would subside. Yes, that his reaction would have made Sakakura’s heart sing. Yes, that they would both be able to get out of this together.

But Munakata didn’t get to say these things. He would be speaking to a corpse. He could cry and tell Sakakura how much he truly cared, but the words would do nothing. They wouldn’t bring him back to life.

“Juzo,” Munakata took into a shaky, pained breath, “I… I’m so, so sorry…”


End file.
